Our Story

Established in 1997, African Drumming has become Australia’s trusted name in West African music.

We are dedicated to sharing the music and culture of West Africa in all that we do. Our classes, workshops, study tours and performances connect us to a large and passionate audience. Not to mention our instruments! We run Australia’s only dedicated West African Music store and have a fascinating drum building workshop that welcomes visitors from across the globe.

In 2011 we relocated from a little store in Grey Street to our current Headquarters @252 St Kilda Rd, St Kilda. Our HQ houses both the brains and brawn of the operation. Our retail showroom, drum & dance studios, offices, warehouse and drum making workshop are all here under one roof – We love it in St Kilda!

We have a nation-wide network of drummers and dancers under our banner and operate across Australia, Indonesia and New Zealand. Our team includes performers and drum makers from around West Africa such as Mali, Guinea, Senegal, and Ghana, and of course homegrown talent too.

We’re always looking to the future and constantly working on the next big project, event and product.

Drop in and say ‘Hi’ in person or drop us a line to connect.

Livin’ for the Rhythm,

Simon Fraser
Director & Founder of African Drumming

Our Mission Statement

At African Drumming we believe in uniting cultures through the power of music.
The drum does not segregate, judge or condone; it is a unifier, an inspirer and a panacea for body, mind and soul
We believe that the traditional rhythms of West Africa contain a magic that touches all who open themselves up to their offerings.
Put simply, the music can sooth and ignite, calm and energise, transport and ground. It can be a complex conundrum and the simplest modality all at the same time.

The rhythm journey is a beautiful and often profound paradox, its depth knows no bounds.
It has been our goal to take the drum to as many corners of the world as possible.
Once it’s there, the vibration of the rhythm goes to work and magic happens.

Education:
In 1998 we decided to take African Drumming into areas previously untouched.
Our belief was that the rhythms would not only stimulate mind and body but also provide wonderful learning tools for students at schools

We wanted to make our Education programs inspiring and engaging cultural experiences full of life lessons.

Wellbeing:The weight of evidence endorsing the positive benefits of African drumming just keeps growing.
We love the fact that we are building healthier, happier individuals and teams through the power of drumming.

DBG are based on the Volta region and have been running a hugely successful Sanitation project for a decade now
We got on board right near the inception and have been raising funds back in Australia through our student concert nights raffling off djembes.

So far, we’ve helped build two Toilet blocks and brought sanitation to dozens of locals who would otherwise be using the bush.

The latest initiative is an Education Centre. AD is proud to have donated funds for books as well as a set of drums for the ongoing Traditional Music program – designed to keep the roots and musical culture alive.